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Molecule Man
Molecule Man is a fictional character, a supervillain or reluctant hero in the Marvel Comics universe. Fictional character biography 1960s Owen Reece was a small, frail, timid child from Brooklyn, New York who obsessively clung to his mother. He grew into a weak-willed adult, made bitter and lonely by his mother's death, and full of fear and hatred of what he regarded as a deeply unfriendly world. Reece became a lowly laboratory technician working at a nuclear plant owned by the Acme Atomics Corporation. He was disgruntled by his job's long hours and low pay. One day, growing careless, Reece accidentally activated an experimental particle generator, which bombarded him with an unknown form of radiation. The radiation had a mutagenic effect on Reece, releasing his potential for psionic powers on a cosmic scale. Reece could now control all matter, even down to the molecular level, and all energy. The radiation also left markings resembling lightning bolts across Reece's face. Reece named himself the Molecule Man after his power to control molecules. The tremendous forces released by the accident opened a wormhole between Earth's dimension and the dimension containing the immensely powerful entity later known as the Beyonder. During the following years, the Beyonder observed Earth and its multiverse through the interdimensional pinhole.[1] The day after the accident, the president of Acme Atomics fired Reece for his carelessness, not even knowing his name after his twelve years of work there. Angered, the Molecule Man covered the president and his desk with ice that he formed from molecules in the air. Reece became a criminal and was now out to use his powers to take revenge on a world he believed had belittled and persecuted him. Yet Reece was so filled with self-doubt, fear, and self-hatred, that he rendered himself vulnerable by unconsciously imposing limitations on his powers. He believed himself to be able to affect only inorganic molecules and unable to affect living beings with his powers. Uatu, the alien Watcher whose task it is to observe Earth, recognized the dire threat that the Molecule Man posed to the multiverse. Uatu alerted the team of superhuman champions known as the Fantastic Four of the threat posed by the Molecule Man. The Molecule Man transported the Baxter Building over Times Square and told the city his will would be the only law. He easily defeated the Fantastic Four, finally forcing them to retreat. He created a glass barrier around Long Island, saying the people would be trapped until the Fantastic Four were brought to him. However the Fantastic Four were helped by the Yancy Street Gang, and were finally able to hide in the home of Alicia Masters. Mister Fantastic realized Reece had only affected inorganic molecules. Alicia lured him to the apartment by firing the Fantastic Four flare. The Fantastic Four used Reece's self-imposed inability to affect organic molecules to defeat him by pretending to be statues with Alicia Masters covering them with plaster, claiming she had made them to honor the Molecule Man. The shock when he tried to rearrange their molecules caused him to drop his wand, and Mister Fantastic got it before he could use it. The Watcher transported the Molecule Man to confinement in an other-dimensional world where time passes at an accelerated rate.[2] 1970s Believing himself unable to escape, Reece created a humanoid construct to serve as his companion, and through unknown means endowed it with consciousness. Reece let the construct believe itself to be his son. Before dying, Reece transferred his consciousness and powers into the wand his son carried. Not bound by human limitations, the construct, known as the new Molecule Man, escaped the world and went to Earth, bringing the wand with him. In an attempt to avenge his father, the new Molecule Man battled both the Man-Thing and the Thing of the Fantastic Four, using Reece's powers through the wand. Dependent on the metal wand to maintain his existence in this dimension, the new Molecule Man disintegrated when the wand was taken from him.[3] However, the consciousness and powers of the original Molecule Man remained within the wand, and the Molecule Man could overpower the minds of whoever touched the wand and take control of their bodies. He took mental possession of Cynthia McClellan, and through her battled Iron Man.[4] Molecule Man then took mental possession of Aaron Stankey and Mister Fantastic.[5] 1980s The wand passed through the hands of a succession of holders until Reece's mind recreated his mutated body and transferred his consciousness and powers out of the wand and into the body. He threatened to destroy the world, but was persuaded by Tigra to give himself up and seek psychiatric help.[6] Reece did so, and soon began to change. He now had simple goals: true love, friendship, and a good home. However, Reece found himself sent to Battleworld, the planet created by the Beyonder, as part of the small army of criminal super human beings that were to engage in the first Secret War. Impressed by the charismatic criminal leader, Doctor Doom, Reece agreed to help fight the superheroes also brought to Battleworld. During the course of the war, Reece and a superhuman called Volcana fell in love with each other. Doom eventually succeeded in stealing the power of the Beyonder and transferring it into himself, both only temporarily. Believing himself abandoned by Doom, Reece threatened to kill him. But Doom helped Reece break through his mental blocks and realize that his power was greater than he had believed. No longer angry at Doom, Reece used his powers to transport himself, Volcana, and most of the criminals back to Earth. On Earth, Reece and Volcana began living together quietly in a Denver suburb, and Reece took a new job as a worker in an atomic plant.[7] But then, months later, the Beyonder, again in possession of his full power, came to Earth in humanoid form seeking emotional fulfillment. When he failed, the Beyonder decided to rid himself of the problem by obliterating the multiverse. Reece attempted to save the universe by destroying the Beyonder, but the Beyonder's immense power far surpassed even Reece's own. Ultimately, Reece joined forces with many of Earth's superhuman champions to battle him. But the Molecule Man exhausted himself fighting the Beyonder, who unleashed an immensely powerful blast of energy to destroy Reece and his allies. The blast ripped open Earth's crust in the area of the Rocky Mountains, and would have caused incredible planet-wide instability if not for the Molecule Man's power. The Molecule Man used his power to shield himself and his allies, and to remove every living thing from the path of the blast to safety. But as a result of his monumental efforts, Reece had severely injured himself internally.[volume & issue needed] His foes appearing to have been defeated, the Beyonder proceeded with his new plan to find fulfillment by using a complex machine to transform himself into a mortal being with his full power. The machine drained the Beyonder's power into itself, transformed him into a mortal baby, and then began transferring the energy back into him. The infant would soon again become an adult. The Molecule Man and his allies found the machine, and Reece, believing they could not take the chance that the newly reborn Beyonder would not someday destroy the multiverse, decided to kill him while he was vulnerable. Reece destroyed the machine, causing the infant's death, and diverted the Beyonder's immense power, which the machine released, through an interdimensional portal into the dimension from which the Beyonder had originally come.[8] There the energy created a new Universe.[volume & issue needed] The injured Molecule Man and the Silver Surfer, uniting their power temporarily, repaired all the damage done to the Earth, restoring the mountains and the part of the crust that the Beyonder had destroyed. Reece, believing that Earth's superhuman champions would always worry about his misusing them, pretended his powers had been burned out. Among his allies, only Volcana and the Silver Surfer know that Reece still has his powers, which have since returned to full strength. Reece lived quietly for a time with Rosenberg in their Denver suburb.[9] 1990s Reece was briefly merged with the Beyonder, in order to take part in the creation of the complete Cosmic Cube being known as Kosmos.[10] He managed to separate himself and return to Earth. He was then defeated in combat by Klaw, and separated from Volcana.[11] Molecule Man was later placed under the mental control of the Puppet Master. Reece was used by him to combat Aron the rogue Watcher, and was defeated by him.[12] The by now generally benevolent Reece accidentally releases his "darkest aspect", which takes separate form and attacks Kosmos in search of revenge upon the Beyonder, and it extracts and fights this part of the whole in a more than 3-dimensional battle. After it defeats the Beyonder, Kubik and the original Molecule Man stop it from delivering the death blow, as this would also kill the peaceful Kosmos. Owen reabsorbs it, and as farewell, Kubik states that Owen's true self's full potential is far greater than that of his dark side.[13] Doc Samson stumbles upon the Molecule Man while searching for the missing Bruce Banner. Owen mistakenly thinks that he is being stalked, and captures Samson to explain himself. After the She-Hulk gets involved they clear up the misunderstanding and Reece calms down. He reveals that his relationship with Marsha has hit a road bump, leading to temporary separation that makes him depressed. Samson convinces Owen to display his affection more openly, whereupon the latter decides to repair worldwide devastation zones (from recent terrorist activity) in Marsha's honor, including rebuilding Mount Rushmore with the addition of her own likeness, which his girlfriend apparently finds touching.[14] 2000s Molecule Man was listed as one of the Raft escapees after the events of New Avengers #1. He is one of the villains incarcerated in the Raft when the Skrulls strike.[15] A series of disappearances in the small town of Dinosaur, Colorado, causes Norman Osborn's (Dark) Avengers to visit the area. Sentry arrived first and was instantly disintegrated. Owen, isolated from everyone, has lost most ability to differentiate between hallucinations and reality, and secluded himself near the area he was born. After the other Avengers are defeated Osborn's aidé Victoria Hand convinces Reece to restore everyone and everything he destroyed and to stop being a threat, in return for being left alone in the future. The Sentry returns at this point, attacks the Molecule Man, and pulls him into the air, but is destroyed again. The Sentry immediately reforms, and takes advantage of Owen's distraction from an incoming missile to take control of his body. Apparently unaware that Owen had already promised to do so, Sentry tells the Molecule Man to restore everything or to be killed. After Owen does so, the Sentry regardless disintegrates his body in return. Powers and abilities Category:Antagonists Category:Organization Category:Neo Masters of Evil